Just as a bonus, Ruth, I think it's still an offence to overtake another car on the zigs as well.
From my experience this must be the most common moving offence after speeding.
We're not all monsters here, I think you'll have to take this one on the chin...go for the fixed penalty option.
Regards
Ted
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Ted do you mean you cannot actually pass a parked car who happens to be on zig zags? I suppose it makes sense but its a new one on me. I best get reading that high way code :).
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Ted do you mean you cannot actually pass a parked car who happens to be on zig zags?
You can pass a car which is parked on a zigzag, Rattle, as long as its safe to do so, I think Ted was refering to overtaking a moving vehicle on a zigzag which would be illegal. BTW the HC makes it clear that you can't park on the zigzags at all (Rule 191) regardless of which side of the crossing you are...
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FYI
I got a fixed penalty ticket for stopping in a a yellow hatched box thingy.
They got a luvverly picture of me .
I can't deny it, I should've known better, despite the Beemer carving me up and grabbing the space I was heading for.
The first in forty-odd years.
You put yer hands up and be more careful n the future!
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I think it's still an offence to overtake another car on the zigs
>>
I havee always understood it is an offence to overtake the LEADING vehicle on the APPROACH to a pedestrian crossing but is is not an offence to overtake on the zig zags having passed over the stripes.
If I am correct then it is understandable that this is a bit difficult to get across to many out there so best left unsaid :-(
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Pugugly knows his onions on such matters. >>
As he is a solicitor, we know he does. But is he usually not reluctant (and most of his profession quite rightly do the same) to give direct advice on an open forum?
.. I was asked to take my MOT and proof of Insurance and licence to a local police station, the implication was that I should have had all of these documents with me, I did show my licence but the others I keep at home, should I be keeping them in the car?? .. >>
The law is explained here:
www.statutelaw.gov.uk/Home.aspx
www.opsi.gov.uk/ACTS/acts1991/ukpga_19910040_en_14
www.hampshire.police.uk/Internet/faq/drivingdocume...m
www.devon-cornwall.police.uk/YourRightInformation/...f
"The Road Traffic Act (S137) states:
[A driver] ... must, on being so required by a constable, give his name and address and the name and address of the owner of the vehicle and produce [documents] for examination.
AND
A person shall not be convicted of an offence .... by reason only of failure to produce any certificate or other evidence to a constable if in proceedings against him for the offence he shows that?
(a)within seven days after the date on which the production of the certificate or other evidence was required it was produced at a police station that was specified by him at the time when its production was required...
If you fail to produce the documents within 7 days,
www.cps.gov.uk/legal/p_to_r/road_traffic_offences/
" ... Where a summons is issued for failure to produce, the defendant may attempt to produce his documents at court. Production of driving documents at the police station in the first instance must be encouraged.... "
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As he is a solicitor, we know he does. But is he usually not reluctant (and most of his profession quite rightly do the same) to give direct advice on an open forum?
Thanks as usual for your Googling ;-)
Ruth still ought to seek legal advice if they plan fighting this. Perhaps better to chalk up as experience.
Edited by rtj70 on 10/10/2009 at 01:33
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No plans to defend, will go to Police Station tommorrow or Monday if they're closed. Just staying up too late beating myself up over my stupidity and wondering if the Police get targets, perhaps it was a slow evening (not just the traffic)
Interestingly they did not seem upset at my car remaining and causing the other cars to overtake in the zig zag area, as I said they particularly didn't want me to move forward and insisted I got out of the car there and then!!
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If you had been in a Chelsea Tractor you would have been OK - I hear they are above law.;-)
I stopped carrying my documents years ago when I was stopped on an almost daily basis just because I was a rocker - one night it was raining and I was 100yrds from cop shop so I said no don't have em - cop cursed under his breath and out came his notepad - I thought I am causing him some paperwork here - so if they want to stop me they can fill out all forms now - being retired I have all time in world to wonder down cop shop to produce.
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Ruth, I think the thing here is to accept that you didn't get stopped because the Police have targets, or it was a 'slow' evening, but because you did something against the law that does put other people in danger.
Accept you were in the wrong and learn from it.
Pat
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Huge sneeze, vision momentarily clouded, stopped as seemed best thing to do, attempted to move forward after recovery, but bigfoot refused to move. Not that I would try it.
Martin.
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IIRC,it's upto £1,000 in court for this offence.
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Also,the policeman would not let you move the car because,if you had subsequently decided to go to court,there could have been discussions over where your car was actually stationary.
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Most motoring laws have some basis in common sense, and this is one of those.
It is obvious to me a zebra crossing need a few yards of clear road space around it so both the driver approaching and the pedestrian trying to cross can see what they are doing.
As a careful, if not always competent, driver, I would be uncomfortable with stopping in the zig-zag area even if it were legal to do so.
The OP may not be interested in motoring, but if she is going to adopt a 'drive by numbers' approach, she should at least study the Highway Code and stick to its rules, even if she has no idea of the reason for them.
My latest near miss? Coming out of a T-junction at which a taxi driver was parked more or less on the corner of the main road.
He's a professional driver, so knows better than me, but I think it says somewhere in the Highway Code about not parking within so many yards of a junction.
Edited by ifithelps on 10/10/2009 at 09:50
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Parking near a crossing is dangerous, especially for children crossing, as you shield part of the crossing from oncoming traffic. Using your warning lights does not give you permission to ignore the law, or make you invisible. (That habit seemed to appear a few years back but maybe it's an old one.)
People here seem to be more lenient towards speeding (within reason), probably because so many speed limits are nonsensical.
a taxi driver was parked more or less on the corner of the main road. He's a professional driver so knows better than me but I think it says somewhere in the Highway Code about not parking within so many yards of a junction.
Yes it does. And yes I've often seen a taxi parked at the end of a road near a junction causing mayhem.
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It is obvious to me a zebra crossing need a few yards of clear road space around it so both the driver approaching and the pedestrian trying to cross can see what they are doing. As a careful if not always competent driver I would be uncomfortable with stopping in the zig-zag area even if it were legal to do so.
Perhaps a little diversion from the topic, but related.
I fully agree with the above about the need for clear space around a crossing so am I the only one who finds it strange that queueing traffic seems to be allowed to remain stationary within the zig-zags right up to, and from, the crossing. Personally I find it strange that you can be approaching a crossing with your direction of travel free flowing but the other direction having vehicles stopped in the 'downstream' zig-zags blocking a clear view of the crossing, or anyone about to cross. In that situation if I am in queueing traffic I wait at the crossing until the zig-zags are clear before proceeding over the crossing to rejoin the queue, must admit that this seems to irritate some people behind me but I feel to do otherwise is to create an unnecessary hazard.
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I fully agree with the above about the need for clear space around a crossing so am I the only one who finds it strange that queueing traffic seems to be allowed to remain stationary within the zig-zags right up to and from the crossing.
I see your point, but there is a big difference between a queue of stationery traffic all in a line and a car parked on a zigzag with free flowing traffic passing it, the latter is much more of a hazzard than the former, though I can see the logic in what you do...
Edited by b308 on 13/10/2009 at 12:04
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"... wondering if the Police get targets perhaps it was a slow evening (not just the traffic) ..."!
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Interestingly they did not seem upset at my car remaining and causing the other cars to overtake in the zig zag area as I said they particularly didn't want me to move forward and insisted I got out of the car there and then!!
That's normal practice.
It is a negative that your offending vehicle stays offending and carries on causing the obstruction and partial view for the crossing....but not as negative as you driving off and a lenghty dangerous pursuit ensuing, running over an officer, hiding your drugs stash, etc, etc...in other words the officer will want to take control of the situation and will not want your vehicle moving.
I appreciate the above may well be most unlikely in your own circumstances, but they won't know what they're dealing with to start with....and even crime bosses have wives and kids.
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